Role of Governance in Explaining Domestic Investment in Nigeria

This study empirically examines the pattern of domestic investment that is consistent with a neoclassical supply-side model of the Nigerian economy. The estimations are carried out with time-series data from 1970 to 2006 using the Johansen estimation techniques. The results conform to the findings of existing literature that real output, user cost of capital, and the level of financial development are significant determinants of domestic investment in Nigeria. The distinctive feature of the study is the significant role played by governance in explaining the longterm pattern of domestic investment in Nigeria. The results from the long-run estimation and the impulse responses revealed that a well-structured and stable socio-economic environment will boost domestic investment over the long run. Therefore, in modelling domestic investment for Nigeria, it is imperative to incorporate the significant role played by governance.Investment, Governance, Nigeria

EFFECT OF OILFIELD SULPHATE SCALES ON PRODUCTIVITY INDEX

The precipitation and deposition of scale pose serious injectivity and productivity problems. Several models have been developed for predicting oilfield scales formation and their effect on deliverability of the reservoir to aid in planning appropriate injection water programme. In this study an analytical model has been developed for predicting productivity index of reservoir with incidence of scale deposition in the vicinity of the well bore

Towards a Model on Digital Transformation within the Higher Education Sector – A South African Perspective

Digital transformation is the application of technology to build new business models, processes, software and systems that result in more profitable revenue, greater competitive advantage and higher efficiency. The factors influencing digital transformation in the higher educational sector were examined in this study. Specifically, data was drawn from 400 respondents and the following variables: organizational IT application portfolio, organizational culture, organizational structure, leadership and ethics predict digital transformation in higher educational sector by using regression analysis. The researcher found that the organizational culture contribution was the highest by predicting 78.9% of digital transformation in the higher education sector

Teachers’ and Learners’ ICT-Readiness Assessment for Agricultural Science Instruction in Oyo State, Nigeria

This study investigated the teachers’ and learners’ ICT-readiness assessment for agricultural science instruction in secondary schools in Oyo State, Nigeria. However, the sample population of 30 and 600 agricultural science teachers and learners were randomly selected respectively from 15 public and 15 private senior secondary schools (SSS) in Ibadan North Local Government Area (LGA) of Oyo State, Nigeria. Descriptive survey design of ex post-facto type was adopted for the study. Two structured questionnaires tagged Teachers’ and Learners’ Questionnaires on ICT-Readiness for Agricultural Science Instruction (TQICTRASI) and (LQICTRASI) respectively were used for data collection. The two questionnaires were subjected to Cronbach Alpha Coefficient with the results 0.86 and 0.82 respectively. Five hypotheses were tested in the study at 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that teachers in private SSS were more ready and prepared to utilise ICT facilities for agricultural instruction than their counterparts in public SSS with the result t-value = 4.25 greater than t-critical = 2.77, df = 28 at p<0.05. Also, learners in private SSS were more prepared and ready for the utilisation of ICT-facilities for agricultural science instruction with the result t-value = 3.51 greater than t-critical = 1.98, df = 598 at p<0.05. However, male and female learners in both private and public SSS were equally prepared and ready for the ICT-facilities utilisation for agricultural science instruction thus there were no significant differences in their ICT-readiness. Therefore, the study proffered that, both male and female teachers and learners should be more ICT-compliant and always ready to upgrade their skills and knowledge in ICT-facilities, utilisation for agricultural science instruction and even for other school subjects particularly in Oyo State and generally in Nigeria. Key words: ICT-readiness, Teachers’ and learners’ assessment, Private and public senior secondary schools, Agricultural science instructio

An experimental test of prejudice about foreign people

This paper o¤ers two related issues: (i ) an applications of beliefs about the cooperative behavior of others to policy-oriented issues, (ii ) a method of explor- ing prejudices (toward others) where interviewees are oblivious of its purpose. We studied contributions and guesses about others?contributions through an experimental game. Prejudice is examined as an implicitly held belief by a Spanish college student towards any of the speci?ed foreign population groups (i.e. the Asians, the Africans, the Latin Americans and the Westerners). The results show that: at the individual level, there exists some subjects that harbor strong positive (and negative) prejudices toward the foreigners. The prejudice models ?tted also show that: own contributions, femaleness, individual wealth; and beliefs about income status, cultural status, religious intensity, societal co- operation and political orientation have strong in?uences on racial prejudice.Beliefs, Prejudice, Public Goods Game

El Niño-southern oscillations and lathyrism epidemics

Epidemics of lathyrism, a neurological syndrome of spastic paraparesis, have occurredduring severe droughts in Europe, Asia, and Africa for millenia. Causation is linked toexposure to β-N-oxalyl-L-α,β-diaminopropionic acid (β-L-ODAP), a neurotoxin in Lathyrussativus. Lathyrism shares neurological features with konzo, a syndrome of predominantlyspastic paraparesis which occurs during droughts in East and Central Africa and is linked to El Nino activity. This study was done to determine the relationship of lathyrism epidemics to phases of El Nino-southern oscillation (ENSO) and Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO), and to propose a model to explain why the geospatial distributions of lathyrism and konzo are non-overlapping. Contingency table of phases of ENSO and occurrence of lathyrism epidemics in Central Provinces, India from 1833–1902 was created and odds ratio was calculated. Wavelet spectra of time series of annual occurrence of lathyrism in Rewah district, India, and its coherence with ENSO and PDO from 1894–1920 were performed. Lathyrism epidemic was associated with El Nino phase of ENSO, odds ratio 378 (95 % 32–4475). Global spectra showed peaks at periodicity of 2.5 and 4.6 years for lathyrism; 2.7 and 5.0 years for PDO; and 2.5, 4.6, 7.0 years for ENSO. Spectrograms showed time-varying periodicities of 2.5–3.5 and 4.5–5.5 years for lathyrism; 2.0–3.0 and 6.5–9.0 years for ENSO; and 3.5 and 5.0 years for PDO, p < 0.0001. Spectral coherence were at 2.0–3.5 and 4.5–5.0 years for ENSO and lathyrism p < 0.0001, and 5.0 years for PDO and lathyrism p < 0.05. The droughts of El Ninos initiate dependence on Lathyrus sativus, which exposes the population to neurotoxic β-L-ODAP. Public health control of lathyrism epidemics should include development of models to forecast El Ninos and initiate food programmes in susceptible areas

Comparative Effects of Tri-Polar Eclectic Teaching Approach on Students Academic Performance in Social Studies

This is an experimental study that examined the comparative effects of Tripolar Interactionist teaching strategy on the academic performance of Junior Secondary School III students of Adeyemi Demonstration secondary School Ondo in social studies. The instrument used for the study includes scheme of work, lesson notes prepared by the researcher and the result of the administered tests on the basis of the research conducted. Two groups of 25 students each were taught the same content and within six weeks using the conventional method and Tripolar Teaching Strategy comprising of enquiry, questioning and discussion methods. The findings showed that the students taught using Tri-polar Teaching strategy performed better at the higher and middle lowest level than students taught using conventional method. Based on the finding it was recommended that the configured teaching strategy tagged “Tri-polar” should be adopted for teaching and learning in Nigerian schools because of its enormous advantage in stimulating independent learning among others

Chloroquine-induced Acute Dystonic Reactions after a Standard Therapeutic Dose for Uncomplicated Malaria

Acute dystonic reactions (ADR) are extrapyramidal effects that usually occur after the initiation of a wide variety of drugs or triggering factors besides neuroleptics. We report the case of a 54-year-old man who was admitted with an approximately 10-hour history of muscle twitching around the eyes, face and neck after he took the first dose of oral chloroquine phosphate (1 g [600 mg base]) prescribed for uncomplicated malaria. He was given intravenous diazepam (10 mg statum) followed by 10 mg of oral diazepam 3 times a day. The symptoms improved within 30 minutes of treatment, and he was discharged 14 hours later after a complete recovery

Assessment of Distribution and Handling Procedures of Imported Frozen Fish in Oyo State, Nigeria

Fish is a highly perishable food and there is dearth of information on quality control along the distribution chain to the final consumer. Therefore quality and handling procedures of imported frozen fish within Oyo state were investigated. The study area was stratified into four Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) zones (Ibadan/Ibarapa, Ogbomoso, Oyo and Saki). All cold store operators (n=67) and 5.0% of registered retailers per zone (n=150) were randomly selected and assessed using 217 structured questionnaires to obtain information on compliance level on temperature management, personal hygiene, facilities’ sanitation and handling. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and percentages. Compliance level to quality measures by cold store operators in all the zones were 65.7%, 83.6% and 92.5% for temperature management, personal hygiene and facilities’ sanitation, respectively. Ibadan/Ibarapa zone had the highest cold storage capacity of 7,433 tonnes and the least was Saki zone with 61 tonnes. Transportation of fish to retail points were by motorcycle (43.3%), taxi cab (31.1%) and by head load (24.0%). Fish was displayed by retailers using bowls (50.0%), wooden tables (36.7%) and wooden boards (10.0%). Only 57.3% of retailers washed their tables daily and none used chlorinated water. Most cold stores met the recommended temperature for cold storage. Keywords: Frozen fish, Fish storage, Cold store operators, Fish retailers